Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow Print PDF (207K) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (23)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Commercial Re-use Guidelines
for Open Access NAR Content
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chakrabarti, R.
Right arrow Articles by Schutt, C. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chakrabarti, R.
Right arrow Articles by Schutt, C. E.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Nucleic Acids Research, 2001, Vol. 29, No. 11 2377-2381
© 2001 Oxford University Press

The enhancement of PCR amplification by low molecular weight amides

Raj Chakrabarti* and Clarence E. Schutt

Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA

Amplification of a DNA target by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) often requires laborious optimization efforts. In this regard, the use of certain organic chemicals such as dimethyl sulfoxide, polyethylene glycol, betaine and formamide as cosolvents has been found to be very helpful. Unfortunately, very little is known about the precise structural features that make these additives effective and, accordingly, the number of such chemicals currently known to enhance PCR is limited. In order to address these issues, we decided to focus on formamide and undertook an extensive study of low molecular weight amides as a class to see how changing the substituents in the amide structure influences its effect on PCR. We describe here the results of this study, which involved 11 different amides, and present observations that provide a cohesive picture of structure–activity relations in this group of additives. We found several of these amides to be exceptionally effective and introduce them as novel PCR enhancers.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 609 258 2826; Fax: +1 609 258 1980; Email: rajchak{at}princeton.edu


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nucleic Acids ResHome page
G. M. Shaik, L. Draberova, P. Draber, M. Boubelik, and P. Draber
Tetraalkylammonium derivatives as real-time PCR enhancers and stabilizers of the qPCR mixtures containing SYBR Green I
Nucleic Acids Res., September 1, 2008; 36(15): e93 - e93.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Mol. Diagn.Home page
M. Musso, R. Bocciardi, S. Parodi, R. Ravazzolo, and I. Ceccherini
Betaine, Dimethyl Sulfoxide, and 7-Deaza-dGTP, a Powerful Mixture for Amplification of GC-Rich DNA Sequences
J. Mol. Diagn., November 1, 2006; 8(5): 544 - 550.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Bot.Home page
A. K Monro
The revision of species-rich genera: a phylogenetic framework for the strategic revision of Pilea (Urticaceae) based on cpDNA, nrDNA, and morphology
Am. J. Botany, March 1, 2006; 93(3): 426 - 441.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Mol. Diagn.Home page
K. Rand, H. Houck, and R. Lawrence
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Cost Savings from Earlier Hospital Discharge
J. Mol. Diagn., October 1, 2005; 7(4): 511 - 516.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Microbiol.Home page
E. J. Sims, M. Goyal, and C. Arnold
Experimental versus In Silico Fluorescent Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Improved Typing with an Extended Fragment Range
J. Clin. Microbiol., November 1, 2002; 40(11): 4072 - 4076.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.